Kontinental ’25 Review: Radu Jude’s Acerbic, Awkwardly Funny Social Critique Examines The Cost Of Urban Renewal

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Radu Jude’s darkly humorous social commentary echoes the resigned tone found in Ling Ma’s 2018 novel, Severance. Both works explore what we’ve lost by prioritizing money and consumerism in our lives. In Severance, the character Candace Chen reflects on the benefits – and drawbacks – of city living, observing that simply existing in a city means participating in its systems: “Living in a city means consuming what it offers – going to bars, shopping, paying taxes, even giving to the homeless – and ultimately supporting its unsustainable way of life.”

Life comes with a cost, and one thing we often get in return is the chance to help people experiencing homelessness. My mother suggests we don’t necessarily solve their problems, but rather continue a cycle of giving that ultimately makes us feel better. Orsolya, a bailiff in Cluj, Romania, featured in Kontinental ’25 (played by Eszter Tompa), participates in this cycle by helping to displace unhoused people, supposedly for the benefit of the city. More accurately, it’s done in the name of “development”—a term often used to justify profit at the expense of others.

Kontinental ’25 Captures The Dangers Of Capital Development With Bleak Irony

Kontinental ’25 is a departure for director Jude, feeling less abrasive than his previous films like Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn and Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World. Known for his sharp observations of societal problems, Jude’s latest work explores themes of homelessness and the long-standing conflict between Romania and Hungary. He connects the tragic death of a person experiencing homelessness with this historical tension, suggesting both are fueled by the relentless pace of modern life.

Orsolya represents how easily people become involved in covering up terrible acts. She’s a kind woman trying to help Ion, an elderly man living in a basement, relocate before the building is renovated into a hotel. He initially agrees to leave, asking for twenty minutes to pack. While she waits, Orsolya chats with a police officer, having coffee and a cigarette. When they return, they find Ion has tragically taken his own life, having hanged himself with a wire.

Orsolya feels deeply responsible for Ion’s death and struggles to make sense of what happened, especially her role in it. Initially, she repeatedly tells others the story, seemingly as a way to cope with the trauma. However, this constant retelling begins to feel different – almost as if she’s trying to take responsibility for something that isn’t hers, and desperately seeking forgiveness for something she’s not even sure she did. She repeatedly emphasizes that she isn’t legally at fault, but the emotional burden weighs heavily on her.

The experience causes Orsolya to behave impulsively. She ditches her family’s trip to Greece, choosing to stay in Cluj and connect with anyone who will listen. She unexpectedly runs into a former student, Fred (Adonis Tanța), and their reunion becomes a strange encounter fueled by drinks, where he shares simplistic, joke-like stories presented as wisdom. This is precisely the kind of connection Orsolya craves – a superficial display of intellect that lets her feel both forgiven and smarter than others.

I was really struck by Kontinental ’25. It’s a tough film to watch, honestly – you find yourself laughing, then immediately feeling bad about it because it hits too close to home. It made me think about how we all react to people experiencing homelessness. I recognized myself a little in Dorina, a character who pretends to care while secretly being repulsed. It’s not something we like to admit, but it’s hard to know how to act around them, even though they’re such a visible part of city life everywhere you go.

Jude also questions who actually benefits from these city renovations. He feels that rebuilding after the war, especially in Europe, involves a troubling disregard for the past. These renovations aren’t just about improving buildings; they can cover up terrible events, erase historical truths, and even allow dangerous ideas about racial purity to spread. The film ultimately suggests, with a sense of pessimism, that all this ‘improvement’ might not actually gain us anything worthwhile.

Kontinental ’25releases in select theaters on March 27, 2026.

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2026-03-24 16:48